Lutz and Flutz
by Lumiere Hikari
Summary: Ladies and Gentleman, Autumn Harrow!" Autumn, a competitive figure skater, has brought her game, both at Hogwarts and Sweden, to a whole new level as she fights for her standing ovation. Tribute to the 2008 World Championships 3/20/08-3/23/08 .
1. Scratch and Biellmann

Autumn sighed as she glanced at the clock for the twentieth time. 2:14. It was as thought the clock began getting slower every time she looked its way.

"Come on," she murmured, her amber eyes watching the second hand tick by sluggishly.

_Three…two…one_… **Brrrriiiinnngggg.**

There was a loud rustling as all the fifth years packed their things and headed to the door. Autumn was the first one out. She quickly rushed to the seventh floor, unaware of the pairs of indigo and brown eyes following her.

* * *

"_Dick, this year is going to be one heck of a competition. The world's best, coming together for the final showdown of the figure skating season."_

"_You're right, Tom, this year is certainly going to be interesting. We now have the rising sixteen year olds from around the world competing for the ultimate Senior title. It's safe to say that they'll do very well, the question is, who will eventually come out on top?"_

"_That's a good question, Dick. You've got Kim Heung, who's beautifully lyrically style is breath of fresh air on the ice. Then you've got Miko Taharo, who's strength and elegance on the ice is a sight to see. And then there's also Autumn Harrow, who's is just this burst of graceful energy. It's hard to say, it really is."_

"_Well, we'll just have to wait and see…"_

* * *

Autumn strode up to the stereo system against the wall and pushed in a CD of Debussy.

Letting the classical music fill the room that had magically turned into an ice-skating rink, she began stretching. She sank easily into a split and thought about the competition that awaited her in two weeks. Her Junior season had flown by as she eagerly awaited the opportunity to skate in the Senior Worlds, something she and her friends Miko and Kim had become dead-set on since earning their rank at the age of twelve.

Unfortunately, they hadn't been able to go to _Senior _World's until now. _And we're going to take the place by storm._

She had been nervous at first about how to tell Professor Dumbledore would react to her long absence that was bound to come in her first year. Surprisingly, he stared at her with twinkling eyes and told her to do what she had to.

"Let's roll," she murmured, pulling on her skates and wondering vaguely to herself who she was talking to.

* * *

…_.since Jeanette Altwegg in 1951. She's forging her own path._

* * *

The cool air rushed past her face as she gasped for air, and drank deeply from her water bottle. She had double-run her long program, and was thoroughly exhausted… and annoyed as well. She had fallen both times on her salchow. _It's the easiest jump! How am I missing it?_ she thought, worried that she would have to tweek her program for the fifth time that season.

_First the toe-loop and now the salchow. Next I'll find that the waltz jump is wrong as well,_ she thought wryly, taking another long drought of her water bottle. She reached down to stretch her tense muscles and skated back to the middle of the rink, and waited for the music to start up again.

* * *

(_Peter _**Miko **_**Kim**_ Autumn)

_Now, you three girls have been competing against each other for years now, and all of you have a pretty even record. How does that affect your relationship off the ice?_

**We agreed… that we stay friends… off ice but… we are …rivals in… competition.**

_And how does that rivalry affect your performances?_

I guess it just makes us work that extra mile. We've been defending titles since we were twelve, and we've been switching spots for the passed four years, so it's actually been really good for us.

_**We love to skate and try to … make our performances… perfect, and after we skate… we just get back up and work for next year.**_

* * *

The sad melody of Joshua Bell washed over the room as Autumn's brow furrowed in concentration, her footwork flowing out of her naturally. She could already hear the cheers that would come for it, just as they had at nationals.

She slid easily into a camel spin and went through the combination, grimacing slightly as the muscles in her thighs pulled at her final catch foot. As the last drone of the percussion blared, she gratefully dropped her foot into a scratch spin, and quickly slid into her ending pose.

She stood for a moment, her breath coming out in quick gasps as she let the performance sink in, then relaxed and skated to the edge of the rink, her hands on her hips. Something felt off.

_Well, as long as I'm not flutzing, I should be fine,_ she thought with a sigh, pulling off her skates.

It was seven O'clock.

* * *

_Dear Autumn,_

_You'll never guess what I just found out! You know how Devyn Richards placed seventh at the US nationals? Well, since the gold, silver and pewter medalists couldn't go to worlds (but they'll kick ass at Juniors!), the heads all had some get together to get a team together. They put DEVYN on the team! Can they do that? I mean, Katrina placed ahead of her, why isn't she going to worlds! Do you have ANY idea how smug she looks right now? So how goes everything with you? Hope you're training hard!_

_Love,_

_Megan _

* * *

Autumn banged her head into the table. She was a SLYTHERIN for goodness sakes! Shouldn't potions be coming to her a little bit easier?

_Apparently not,_ she thought darkly, glaring at the piece of parchment in front of her. Oh, how she wanted to go back to the Room of Requirement (a room she never would have known about had it not been for her getting lost the first NIGHT of her tutelage at Hogwarts.) and skate.

Scowling at her textbook she began her essay, but was interrupted as she heard scuffling behind her. She turned to see Draco Malfoy, one of her fellow housemates, teasing a small Hufflepuff girl by holding a book tauntingly out of her reach.

She pulled out her ebony wand and muttered, "_accio book_."

"Will you grow up, Malfoy?" hissed Autumn, pulling the girl away before Malfoy could open his mouth and handing her the book.

"There you go," said Autumn kindly. "If he bugs you again, feel free to hex him or find me. Bye."

The girl stared after her with wide eyes, and Autumn almost groaned at the small amount of writing on her supposed-to-be three foot essay.

"That was very Gryfindor of you," said a girl's voice from behind her. Autumn whipped around, her hand flying to her wand.

"Granger," sighed Autumn, putting a hand to her pounding heart. "Please refrain from doing that! I know our house is rivals, but a heart attack is going too far."

The bushy-haired Gryfindor raised an eyebrow at her as she took a seat across from Autumn.

"I wonder how you can be scared of me," she murmured, leaning across the table, "when you can easily do all those dangerous jumps."

"Whatever do you mean?" asked Autumn casually, flipping through her book boredly.

"I mean, I saw you skating in the Room of Requirement," said Hermione.

"You mean you followed me there. How very _Slytherin_ of you," drawled Autumn, smirking at the flush that appeared on Hermione's face.

"I knew that skater I saw on TV was you. Gold medal… very impressive," said Hermione. "You really are very good."

"Thank you," said Autumn, smiling sincerely at the girl. "It's really hard defending a title, especially since I've held it for the passed four years."

"That's right. You've been competing since you were seven. Junior, right?" said Hermione, looking interested.

"Since I was eight. I got my rank when I was seven," said Autumn boredly, vaguely wondering why she was still talking to the Gryfindor. If she got caught…

Malfoy was easily dealt with, but the other girls…

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry, I've just always loved figure skating," said Hermione.

Autumn nodded and snorted as she came by a note written in the margins of her textbook. _Idiots. The school is filled with them,_ thought Autumn irritably, flipping to the next page. Her eyes narrowed.

**GHOST BOY** was written, along with a badly drawn cartoon. Hermione looked over and groaned.

"Ronald," she sighed irritably. Autumn turned her head to face Hermione.

"Your friend did this?" said Autumn sharply.

"Yes," said Hermione guiltily. "He really is quite crude. I'm sorry about him."

"Don't be. You're not the one who's doing this," said Autumn quietly.

They both sat quietly, Autumn scratching away with her quill and Hermione watching her, looking as though she wanted to say something.

"What's up, Hermione?" asked Autumn, her first name slipping out before she could stop it. Instead of feeling horrified, she felt somewhat relieved. She was starting to like the girl, and last names were used as formal addresses and in contempt.

Looking taken aback, Hermione said, "I was just wondering if I could watch you some time."

"Um… sure, I guess," said Autumn with a raised eyebrow. Usually people just barged in and flashed their cameras.

Hermione smiled at her glanced at her essay. She raised an eyebrow and said, "I think you might need help…"

Autumn chuckled and smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck.

Autumn walked into the dungeons, her essay completed and a warm feeling content flooding through her.

* * *

_Finally, a friend within 500 miles of my person,_ she thought, staring at the floor. She hardly noticed the tall boy in front of her until she had almost collided with him.

"Sorry," she murmured, sidestepping him and continuing on her way.

"Harrow," said a deep voice from behind her. She turned to find the tall form of Blaise Zabini standing very close to her back. She inhaled sharply and took a step back. "Granger's right. You are very good. Maybe I'll stop by and watch again…"

With that said, he stepped around her and walked on, leaving a stunned Autumn behind.

_Another one,_ she thought, appalled. "Hey, wait!" she finally called, running up to catch Blaise as he turned around the corner. She came around the bend and stared at the corridor in shock.

He wasn't there.

* * *

(Speaking in Japanese)

"Good evening, I'm Nirai Takashi along side Taharo Miko-san. Miko –san, the world championships are in two weeks. What kind of preparations are you taking?"

"Well, at this point, it's just running the program over and over again to make sure it's perfect. Then my coach and I fix any glitch we can find."

"You're going to be competing against Harrow Autumn-san and Heung Kim-san, who also happen to be very close friends of yours. How does that work?"

"We know that one of us is going to do better than the others, so we just give the best performance we can and hope we're the one that comes out on top. We're rivals, but that just makes us work harder and makes the competition a lot more fun."

* * *

A/N: How was it? Good? Bad? So-So?

Review and let me know! I've never tried something like this before, and I really want to get it right!

_**Glossary of Terms:**_

**Waltz jump:** a one-half rotation jump

**Salchow: **an edge jump. It takes off from a back inside edge and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot.

**Toe: **a toe jump that takes off from the back outside edge and lands on the same back outside edge (in other words, a toe-pick assisted loop jump, although the mechanics of the two jumps are very different).

**Loop:** another edge jump, launched from the back outside edge and landing on the same back outside edge.

**Flip:** a toe jump that takes off from a back inside edge and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot.

**Lutz:** a toe jump that takes off from a back outside edge and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. The lutz is a counter-rotated jump.

**Axel:**an edge jump launched on the forward outside edge and landed on the back outside edge of the opposite foot.

**Layback**: an upright spin, usually performed by women, in which the back is arched and head dropped back, the free leg in an attitude position, and the arms often stretched to the ceiling.

**Biellmann spin:** a variation of the layback spin and performed by pulling the free leg from behind up and over the head. The blade of the skate may be held with either one or both hands. This requires extreme flexibility in the shoulders, back, hips, and legs.

**camel spin** (also known as a parallel or arabesque spin): an arabesque position (or spiral position) with the free leg extended behind at hip level, parallel to the ice surface.

(If visuals are required for slow antelopes, visit youtube and search the terms. VERY easy to find nowadays.)


	2. Y and I

A/N: I'm SOOOOOOOOO sorry I haven't updated in months!! My computer had some spyware and virus problems, and it took forever to get it fixed! But here's the new chapter in **Lutz and Flutz**, and I'm working on a short sequel. ENJOY, and I'll have a new chapter for **The Spell of Light** and **A Hardened Heart** up soon!

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Chapter 2: Y and I

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"So how long have you been using this room?" asked Hermione, sounding a bit apprehensive.

"Since my first night at Hogwarts," said Autumn. "I got lost and stumbled into a fully stocked rink. A few days later, I decided to hide all my gear when I found Parkinson going through my stuff."

She pulled her leg into a standing split and asked thoughtfully, "do Potter and Weasley mind you hanging out here with a Slytherin?"

"They probably think I'm in the library," snorted Hermione. "What Colin wouldn't do to get pictures of you stretching."

"Tell him to get in line," grumbled Autumn, releasing her leg and hopping around to get her legs warm. "Though Miko probably has it worse off than I do. She can't walk do the street in Japan without paparazzi following her.

"Hey, wait," she suddenly said, turning to Hermione. "How long were you here yesterday?"

"Until you left," admitted Hermione, smiling at her sheepishly. Autumn felt a surge of excitement as she said, "did you notice anyone else here?"

Hermione frowned. "No, I don't think I did," said Hermione thoughtfully.

"Hmmm…" muttered Autumn as she pulled on her lucky fuzzy-socks.

* * *

"_Autumn Harrow, you've just won the British Senior National Championships for the sixth year in a row. How are you feeling now?"?" asked a middle-aged woman with fake blonde ringlets and chipped hot pink nails._

"_It feels great, especially since it means I can go to Senior Worlds," said Autumn with a small smile. "Though I seriously have to give props to Lydia, 'cause she put on a great performance."_

_The red-headed girl, Lydia, gave Autumn a warm smile and said, "I'm disappointed I can't go to worlds, but I'm, happy with my performance, and hope Autumn can get Britain another spot next year."_

"_Thank you ladies. "_

xxxxxxxxx

_**Its no surprise to the skating world that Autumn, named a prodigy at the age of seven when she stormed the Junior Nationals with grace many three times her age never had, will be attending the Senior World Championships.**_

"_Grace and style are two things that are honed as a skater matures. And to see a young child have that much style and grace, and complete triple-doubles, is absolutely astounding."_

_**The only thing that has ever held young Autumn back has been her age. Skaters must be at least fourteen to travel internationally and sixteen to attend Worlds and the Olympics.**_

"_It is almost maddening to see these young new skaters, such as Miko Taharo, Kim Heung, and Autumn Harrow, being held back by their age, when they would probably do just as well at Seniors and the Olympics. A team of doctors had gotten together after Tara Lipinski won the World title at fourteen, and advised ISU to set an age limit so that these young skaters can avoid injury. Which is absolutely ridicules because they're still doing these jumps in the Junior competitions. "_

_**The biggest question that has been asked for the past few years has been: would these three skaters have done well at the Olympics and Worlds championships? Many will reply 'yes.' **_

* * *

"…and-that-conclude-the-theory-behind-Belise-seeds," muttered Autumn as she completed her potions essay. Hermione chuckled as she threw her quill onto the floor and stretched luxuriously. "I really hate potions," groaned Autumn as she slouched lazily into her chair.

"You still have charms to do, Autumn," smiled Hermione and Autumn groaned again.

"I don't mean to sound horrid," said Autumn quietly, checking her watch. "But don't you have a club of sorts to get to?" Hermione blanched.

"I don't-"started Hermione, but Autumn interrupted her, "yeah, I know about Potter's group. Trust me, if I didn't, Malfoy would've had you guys by now. I've been keeping him and Umbridge off your tails since November."

"How did…" stammered Hermione and Autumn smiled mischievously at the flustered girl.

"The Bloody Baron told me," said Autumn easily.

"The Bloody Baron…" said Hermione faintly.

"That, and when I couldn't get in to skate, I waited until some group of Ravenclaws –I think it was Edgecombe and Corner; you should watch out for them by the way- and saw them go in. The Bloody Baron told me the rest," said Autumn. "I really must thank you guys. I can now run 4 ½ miles and still do my normal workout."

"Please don't tell anyone!" pleaded Hermione, and Autumn stared straight into the pale girl's eyes.

"Hermione, I'm about to tell you something that could possibly put my life and career in danger. I'm a muggle-born."

"What?!" gaped Hermione. "But I though only purebloods could get into Slytherin." Autumn shook her head.

"No. That may have been what Salazar Slytherin may have wanted, but the Sorting Hat places people based on their personalities. Trust me, I'm one of the most ambitious people you'll ever meet," smirked Autumn. "Hermione, I want Voldemort to fall and I want Potter to win. If that means doing what I'm doing now and rating him out, than fine. I just want to live to see Vancouver.

"Oh, and it's eight; you'd better get going if you don't want to be late," said Autumn.

The stunned girl nodded numbly and left, shooting Autumn a final over her shoulder before exiting the Library. Autumn turned back to her charms book and let out a tired groan.

* * *

**With Hermione….**

Hermione flew into the Room of Requirement and slammed the door shut behind her. Harry, someone knows!" she cried, and Harry paled. There was a small moment of panic before Hermione shouted, "it's alright, she's trustworthy!"

"Who is it?" said Parvati Patil.

"I-"started Hermione, but was interrupted by a snide voice saying, "its Harrow, isn't it? I see you two hanging out at the library all the time."

"No, it's not her," snapped Hermione. "And she needed help with her Potions essay."

"Hermione," asked Harry. "Are you sure this person is trustworthy?"

"Yes," said Hermione without any hesitation.

* * *

"_Now, with me I have our own Devyn Richards and Britain's Autumn Harrow. How are you ladies?" asked Peter Caruthers, and both girls on either side of him gave him a small smile and replied positively._

"_I feel like I'm in a bad place right now; maybe I could just lean outa' the way. But Devyn, you just received your Senior rank. How do you think you'll fair in the Senior ranks?" asked Peter, and Autumn suppressed a groan._

"_Well, I think that they're all really good skaters, and I can only hope I have what it takes to win" said Devyn, her voice lightly laced with sarcasm. Peter, however, missed it._

"_Now Autumn, I know you don't like talking about your rivalries, but what have they done to better your performances?" asked Peter, and Autumn shrugged._

"_They motivate me to do better, I suppose. Devyn skated in my first international competition and I remember how much her performances made me want to improve. Miko and Kim have done so since, and I admire them a lot," said Autumn._

"_What about Devyn?" asked Peter, and Autumn had to resist the urge to throw something at the man._

"_She's just another skater who stands in the way of winning," shrugged Autumn._

"_I think that's all for now," said Peter with a nervous laugh at the cold look Devyn threw her. "Before we leave, do you two have any advice to give to each other?"_

"_No," said Autumn calmly._

"_No," said Devyn coolly._

"_You had them warmed up, Peter, and then it just froze over again," laughed Terry._

* * *

"I HATE homework," grumbled Autumn, and the Bloody baron smirked at the irritated girl.

"Look on the bright side," said the Baron. "You only have Divination left."

Autumn groaned again. "What on Earth possessed me to take that class?!"

The Baron chuckled, and Autumn slammed her head onto the table. The Baron voice was cool and chilling, though it never seemed to bother her; she liked the cold.

"Hey, Baron, what do you think of Hermione?" asked Autumn, and the Baron lapsed into a thoughtful silence.

"If she weren't so brave, I should think she would make an excellent Slytherin. But then again," he said amusedly, "if you weren't so ambitious, I would think you would have been a model Hufflepuff."

"Nah, I'm too sarcastic. They don't like that about me," said Autumn lightly, packing her bag.

"Yet you are one of the hardest workers I have ever had the pleasure of meeting," countered the Baron. Autumn smiled and said, "I wand to be great, Baron. People have been calling me a prodigy since I was seven. I have a lot of expectations to live up to."

"The only expectation you have to live up to is your own; you a much too critical of your talents," said the Baron. "Trust an old man such as myself when I say you will excel in everything you do."

"Except potions," replied Autumn jokingly, and then looked at the Baron slyly. "This is one of those moments that you'll deny if I ever bring up again, isn't it?"

"In a heart beat," said the Baron firmly. "I'll have you know I'm a healthy twenty-eight."

"Add on eight hundred more years and you'll be close," teased Autumn, walking through the dreary dungeons.

"Hey," she said, stopping. "Were you at my practice yesterday?"

"Yes," said the Baron. "You need to punch your knee through more, by the way."

"I know, I know," she said quickly. "But I was wondering if there was anyone else besides Hermione was there."

"Yes, "said the Baron, frowning. "That boy who is always watching you, Zabini. I must say, he has an impressive Shield Charm."

"He was there," she muttered, frowning as she began walking again. "He's a wild card, but I think I can trust him not to say anything."

She whispered the password to the Fat Man (whom she suspected was interested in Violet of the third floor.). "'Night, Baron," she said, walking up to her dorm.

* * *

…_and here she goes for the triple axel. She'll be the first British woman and the youngest to ever complete this jump in competition at ten years old. Here she goes…AND SHE NAILS IT! Beautiful height and a light, airy landing…_

* * *

"Harry wants to meet you," said Hermione casually as Autumn came to a halt in front of her, breathing laboriously. She took a long draught from her water bottle.

"Well, I really don't want to meet with him, sorry," said Autumn, taking a seat on the ice. It felt good on her sore muscles. "I'm trying to stay off the radar, and I've noticed a lack of juice in the gossip mill lately. I don't need anymore association with the Golden trio than I already have."

Hermione sighed and lapsed into a pensive silence.

"Hey," said Autumn, hopping up and stretching. "What time is it?"

"7:30, why?" said Hermione, and Autumn sighed.

"Man, I'm tired," said Autumn, getting up and stretching. "And we're running in Muggle Studies tomorrow."

"Oh yeah," said Hermione glumly.

"Drink _lots_ of water tonight, trust me," said Autumn, taking another long draught from her water bottle, "it'll help a lot."

"Why do you take that class, anyway, if you're a muggle?" asked Hermione curiously. Autumn smiled and said, "Malfoy refused to take that class. I still don't get why Nott and Zabini are in that class, though."

Hermione waited as Autumn quickly took a shower and stuffed her skates into the locker. The two girls walked down to the Great Hall together, debating heavily over the runes they had studied earlier that week.

"I still say…" said Autumn huffily, and shrieked as someone grabbed her arm.


	3. Toe and Loop

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**Chapter 3: Toe and Loop**

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Susan Bones stared at the flustered girls in front of her with bewilderment.

"Sorry," she said to the amber-eyed girl apologetically. "I didn't mean to scare you; I have some questions about the Transfiguration homework."

"Sure, let me just restart my heart," gasped Autumn. "So what's wrong?"

"Well," said Susan nervously. "I don't really understand the transformation between that feather and the orange…"

Two hours later, the three girls left the library, each content with the conversations they had started. "Clockwise," said Autumn tiredly, and the Fat Man rolled his eyes as he said moodily, "there are two young men on the other side who have been badgering me about your whereabouts for well over an hour. You would do well to shut them up."

"Will do. Sorry," she said, walking through the portrait hole and coming face to face with two pairs of deep indigo eyes. Autumn shrieked in surprise and stumbled backwards. The common room was empty, staring at her in amusement as she gasped for air.

"What is with everyone doing this with everyone doing this to me today?!" griped Autumn as she straightened herself. "Well?"

Theodore Nott, who had been off to the side, motioned for her to follow him. "Why should I? I just got an earful from the Fat Man because of you two and Zabini here nearly gave me a heart attack," said Autumn, glaring at them.

"I never knew you hung around with Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors in your spare time, Harrow," said Theodore wryly and Blaise added, "especially one of the famous Golden Trio."

"Stalker!" said Autumn accursedly. "Besides, we spend most of the time arguing about Ancient Runes."

"But Granger? Of all the- do you have any idea what Malfoy and Parkinson would do to you if they found out?" exclaimed Blaise, and Autumn gave him a weird look.

"Why do you care?" asked Autumn, and the two boys exchanged a glance.

"You're one of the few Slytherins to stand up to Malfoy," said Theodore slowly. "Outcasts stick together."

"We've been watching your back since third year," said Blaise, leaning against the wall behind him. "Trust me when I say you get a lot of hexes and jinxes thrown at you. Malfoy's been tailing you a lot lately; I figured you'd want privacy while you tried to fix that flutz of yours."

Autumn looked at him in surprise. "how-" but was cut off when Blaise said," does the name Caterina Kosilo ring a bell?"

Autumn nodded and Blaise said," she's my cousin. I used to watch her train. She retired this year, so she's been traveling."

"Yeah, I was sad to hear that," admitted Autumn. "I would have been fun competing against her."

"Even if it meant losing the podium?" smirked Blaise. Autumn smiled and said, "I like a challenge. Lord knows, I get a big enough one from Miko and Kim."

Theodore watched the exchange with mild confusion.

"Well, thanks for the help, but I don't see how Granger and Bones are any of your concern," said Autumn, stepping around the taller boy and walking into her dorm.

* * *

…_The judges are really beginning to crack down on edge-take offs in the jumps. Many skaters such as Miko Taharo and Autumn Harrow have lost up to two points…_

* * *

"Wands away. Take out your book and read chapter twelve. There will be no need to talk," simpered the toad-like woman. Autumn took out her book with a grimace and opened it to the boring world behind its pages, which were filled to the top with nonsense.

As she began to realize she had read the same line twice, a paper ball impacted the side of her head. She took it out of her lap and looked around. The entire class was struggling not to fall asleep and Umbridge's bright pink bow was the only thing visible over the large stacks of paper on her desk. She opened the note, which read-

_You know, it's always healthy to take a mental health day. –BZ_

Autumn looked over to the dark-haired boy and smiled. She stood and put on a pained expression as she walked up to the Professor's desk. "Excuse me, Professor?" she said. Umbridge looked up and Autumn winced. "My head is killing me? Can I go to the Infirmary; I feel kind of dizzy."

"Oh very well," said Umbridge, looking greatly displeased. "Ma-"

"I'll take her," offered Blaise, his voice deep and Malfoy glared at him.

"Alright, alright. Go on," said Umbridge irritably. Autumn and Blaise grabbed their bags and Blaise placed his hand on the small of her back as he lead her out of the classroom.

Umbridge frowned and murmured to Pansy, "are those two an item?"

Pansy scoffed and said, "of course not. She doesn't date."

* * *

"Now what?" asked Autumn, her face turning pinker by the minute; Blaise hadn't removed his hand.

"How about a skate?" he asked casually, smiling at her, and Autumn felt her heart flutter. His smile was crooked, and Autumn felt her face begin to burn.

"S-sure," she stammered as they headed for the staircase. They quickly made their way to the Room of Requirement , and she felt a rush of excitement as a blast of cool air hit her face. She ran to her locker and grabbed the pair of clothes she always kept handy and looked quizzically at the extra locker next to hers. She opened it and found a pair of slightly worn skates and another pair of sweats.

"You're not the only one who knows how to skate," said Blaise, peering over her shoulder. She shivered as his breath caressed the back of her neck. He grabbed the skates and the sweats and walked into the small changing room.

She stared at the closed door for a moment before grabbing her clothes and walking into the new changing room labeled 'girls.'

Autumn quickly changed and stretched, stepping onto the ice as Blaise came out of the changing room. She grinned at him and skated off. She let out a deep breath and then shrieked as Blaise grabbed her around the waist and lifted her into his arms. Laughing, he began spinning her around in circles. He soon set her down and Autumn, still breathless with laughter, said, "that was fun."

"Yeah," he said, staring at her with a peculiar look. "What's wrong?" asked Autumn, raising an eyebrow and grinning. "Do I have something on my face?"

"Autumn," he said, and Autumn felt her stomach flip at the way he said her name. He was closer now than he had been a second ago, and he stared at her for a long moment. Up close, she noticed his eyes looked almost violet. Autumn felt a burning desire to run from the room and, at the same time, a complete inability to move.

"Yeah?" she asked breathlessly. He moved closer, and she couldn't think. He was much too close, and his eyes seemed to pierce her very soul…

* * *

Autumn rushed into the Great Hall, still in her sweat pants and tank top, in shock. She quickly sat in the seat next to Hermione and said, ignoring the glares from around her, "I need to talk to you. NOW."

Hermione stared at her panicked expression with a raised eyebrow and said, "oh alright. I'll see you two at dinner."

Potter and Weasley protested but Hermione ignored them and beckoned to Susan, who was watching them with worry."What's wrong?" asked Hermione as they stepped into the courtyard.

"Zabini," said Autumn, her face turning red.

"Blaise Zabini?" asked Susan in surprise. "You know-" Hermione immediately covered her mouth and asked in a strange voice, "what about him?"

"I don't know!" burst out Autumn hysterically. "He's been doing all this stuff for me, he knows about you-know-what, and he nearly kissed me ten minutes ago!"

"What?!" gasped Hermione and Susan. "So that's why you're still in that," remarked Hermione, pointing to Autumn's tight sweatpants and tank. "The bell for lunch rang just as he was about to kiss me, and I ran," said Autumn thickly, rubbing her arms.

"Wait, what does he know about?" asked Susan in confusion. Autumn hesitated for a moment, before saying quietly, "I'm a figure skater."

Susan looked puzzled for a moment before comprehension dawned on her face. "Is that bad?" she asked.

"I just don't like all the attention I get. I'm telling you, summers are absolute nightmares," said Autumn with a grimace. Susan smiled mischievously and said, "so that's why Justin has a picture of you in his dorm."

"What!" shouted Autumn, mortified.

* * *

Hermione entered the common room with a sigh. She had been observing Autumn and working on homework with her in the library. Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott had surprisingly dropped by (which resulted in Autumn nearly passing out, she was blushing so much), and Hermione noticed with mild shame he had almost every class with her, and she had never noticed. The term 'Ghost Boy' seemed to follow and apply to him everywhere… though she had noticed in third year how protective he had become of her (not that Autumn noticed.). She remembered last year when he continually followed her around, deflecting hexes and jinxes that were thrown her way because she had refused to wear the 'Potter Sticks' badges. He had never stopped shielding her from her own house, and she hardly paid any attention to the boy.

"Though, she had reacted strangely to the Ghost Boy comment Ron wrote," thought Hermione, walking over to Harry and Ron, who were arguing quietly near the fire.

"Hi," said Hermione, sitting in the empty chair. The common room was sparsely occupied. "Why exactly are you hanging around three Slytherins?" asked Ron irritably. "Especially with Ghost Boy and his girlfriend. I needed help with my Potions homework!"

"Don't call him that!" snapped Hermione. "First of all, Ronald, I can speak to whoever I want to. Second, they aren't dating. The other Slytherins like throwing hexes at her because she refuses to make fun of the three of us, and Blaise helps her. Also, have you even started or tried to do your essay?"

Ron's ears turned purple and Harry asked, "what about Zabini or Nott? What if they try something?"

"Not that they would; they are gentlemen," said Hermione coolly (she said this while looking at Ron). "Autumn has a nice right-hook. Why so think Malfoy is walking around with a black-eye?"

"But they're Slytherins!" exploded Ron. "And Ghost Boy is as bad as Malfoy!"

"He is not and don't call him that!" yelled Hermione, standing up and storming away. "Oh, and Ron, you can finish your essay on your own."

* * *

"_Var där, på världsmästerskapen!"_**(1)**

* * *

"How was that?" asked Autumn breathlessly, and Hermione smiled.

"Clean outside edge!" she said, and Autumn laughed happily. "Yess!" she shouted, pumping both her fists into the air. "Finally! No more flutzing! No more flutzing!"

"What's a flutz?" asked Hermione, who was watching with amazement as Autumn sang and danced on the ice, losing the cool and cynical persona she showed everyone else.

"It's when a person tries to do a lutz ad switches from an outside edge to an inside edge at the last second," said a deep voice from behind her as Autumn continued chanting. "What is she doing?"

"Blaise!" sang Autumn, tackling him into a hug. "I fixed my flutz!"

"Really?" asked the constricted boy, a light blush dusting his face.

"Yep," she said with a smile as she skated off. "Watch!"

She skated around the bend and took her preparation before launching herself into a triple lutz and landing neatly. Blaise nodded in approval and turned to Hermione. "Could you please tell Weasley to stop glaring at me? As flattered as I am, it becomes a bit tiring."

Hermione groaned and said meekly, "sorry about him. He doesn't really approve of this."

"Aa," he grunted, sitting next to Theo, who had pulled out a sketchbook, on the bleachers.

"How do you two run so well, by the way?" demanded Susan with envy, and Hermione blanched. "Figure skating does that to you," said Autumn casually, winking at a relieved Hermione. "The long program is like a two kilometer run with sprints. Trust me, stamina is the best thing a skater can have."

"But you and Blaise did five kilometers! Everyone else could barely do one!" exclaimed Susan.

"Yeah, the wizarding world is painfully out of shape," sighed Autumn, and then smiled wickedly. "I would love to see the other Slytherins in my year run."

"That would be entertaining," remarked Theo, and Hermione smiled. "Autumn, you should start a ruuning club!" said Hermione.

"That would be easy to goad Malfoy and Parkinson into," mused Autumn, glancing at the nodding Theo and Blaise. "I'll put it by Dumbledore."

* * *

"_Only three days until skaters from around the world with begin to arrive for the World Championships. Unfortunately, Aaron Lysack was forced to pull out due to shoulder injury…"_

* * *

As the World Championships loomed closer, Autumn felt herself becoming closer to Hermione, Susan, Theo and Balise, and was happy to invite them to the Sweden with her. "Of course we're coming," said Hermione and Susan after Autumn had cleared it with the headmaster.

On March eighteenth, she and her friends boarded a plane at the London Airport (Susan, Theo, and Blaise had at first refused point-blank to enter the 'steel death trap', and boarded only after Autumn and Hermione spent five minutes assuring them it was safe.), and as they landed in Gothenburg, Autumn couldn't help but smile and shout, "Worlds, here I come!"

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**A/N:** ok, one more chapter and I'm done! I may even have it up by tomorrow afternoon, since my grandmother wants me to show her my first completed work ( even though she probably won't read it).

**(1)** Swedish for 'Be there, at the World championships!'


	4. Short and Long

**A/N: **Okay, here's the final chapter!

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**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Chapter 4: Short and Long**

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…_opted to skip the Europeans and Four Continents to focus on her exams…_

* * *

Autumn fidgeted nervously as Miko and Kim conversed excitedly in broken English. Milly Hughs and Ashleigh Taylor stood with a reporter from France who was getting a last minute interview, and Autumn noticed with annoyance that Peter Carruthers was standing near the group. She had never liked him.

Last fall, Lydia Walkers of Britain had popped her toe loop on her triple lutz- double toe loop combination. After receiving her scores, she had begun crying in frustration backstage, since she had made the same mistake the week before. The next day in their free skate warm up, the man had spent a better part of his five minute screen time on how Lydia needed to grow up and handle the situation more like her fellow competitor, Autumn Harrow.

* * *

"…_just needs to pull it together. And you know it's just too bad. You've got competitors like Autumn who see the glass as half full, and skaters like Lydia who see it as half empty. And there's Autumn now, the favorite for the gold, getting last minute advice from her coach."_

"_It looks like she's glaring at you, Peter," laughed Terry, and it was true. Meg had begun firing away about the report and Autumn's eyes flashed. She turned to Peter and initiated her best Slytherin glare (courtesy of Snape.). She was proud to find him fidgeting nervously. She immediately took off down the rink to where Lydia was warming up. Despite the pop, she had still landed in third._

"_Lydia," muttered Autumn, and winced at the look on her face. It was obvious she had heard the interview. "Hey, don't listen to that guy. He's an American, remember?" Lydia gave her a small smile and Autumn smirked._

"_Good luck," said Autumn with a wink, and Lydia nodded._

* * *

Finally, the gate opened and the skaters were allowed to enter. Autumn stepped out onto the ice and smiled. She was finally here. She had made it.

As she began warming up, she scanned the crowd, brightening when she saw Hermione, Susan, Theo, and Blaise in the audience. She sank into a spiral, her legs nearly perpendicular to the ground (something she was quite proud of. Jack, her coach, had told her she was five degrees from ninety.). Cameras clicked as the ten girls warmed up, and Autumn focused mostly on her lutz, satisfied that she kept an outside edge.

_LATER……_

Autumn gave Milly a small nodded as she came off the ice, a large smile plastered on her face. She said a few words to Jack and skated off, keeping her legs warm as Milly waited for her scores. She scanned the crowd, and waved to the loudly cheering Hermione, Susan, Theo, and Blaise (though Blaise and Theo weren't jumping up and down.).

"Technical Elements score… 28.63," droned the announcer's voice. "Program Components score… 29.53. Total score is 58.16."

"…And remember, just do your best and you'll be fine," said Jack encouragingly. Autumn nodded, wondering if she really could top the 71.95(a new ISU record) by Kim or the 69.50 by Miko. Taking a deep breath and giving a thumbs-up to Jack, she skated off as the announcer called her name. She raised her hands to appease the crowd, apprehension brewing heavily in her stomach.

As she took to the center of the ice, the previously wild crowd died down and she stood in position.

**(A/N: ATTENTION!! You don't need to read about the choreography if you don't want to, since anything of importance will be reported by ESPN announcers. If you want to give me **_**constructive critics**_**, feel free to let me know how bad it is. Otherwise, just skip until the next A/N.)**

The music started and she flicked her foot, her body being propelled backwards. She turned and twirled into a camel spin, dropping into a cannon and after a few rotations, pulled her leg up into a catch-foot.

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(_**Dick**__Terry _**Teresa**) Music: "A Broken Heart" -Ladies of Lavender soundtrack

"_**Look at that… holy cow…"**_

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She skated forward, picking up speed. She turned and reached her leg back. _Triple flip… Triple loop…YES!_

Autumn allowed herself a small smile as she jumped into a flying-death-drop-spin and landing in a camel.

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"_That's a gorgeous camel position."_

"_**She pulls onto the forward part of her blade, giving it more difficulty."**_

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She winced at the burn in her thighs as she sank into another cannon. She leaned forward slightly, slinging her other foot into her waiting hands. She then hoisted herself up and, after a final twirl, began skating backwards around the bend, gaining speed.

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"_Footwork into a triple lutz…nice. No flutz this time._

"**Here's her footwork sequence…"**

"_**She really getting deep into those edges and getting a lot of speed from them."**_

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Autumn smiled in relief as she finished her footwork and waited a few beats to gain speed before sinking into her spiral.

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"_**Look at the extension on that…! Beautiful. Absolutely textbook."**_

"**You know, Dick, usually with skaters, their supporting leg slides forward, tilting their hips and the split; but there's no tilt there. Her leg and the ice are at a perfect 90° angle."**

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She bent her leg down and pulled it into a cross-grab biellman. She smiled up at the crowd as she released the blade and lifted her leg up in front of her.

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"_Look at that…you know, I can never get over the strength of some of these ladies. To be able to lift the leg that high and hold it is unbelievable. And you know, that is a position that is acceptable and elegant because she doesn't stretch her hip out, point with her phanny, and get her leg higher that way.__**"I've got five seconds. She's going to get major points for that.**_

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Autumn gritted her teeth and brought leg down, rotating around the bend. The music was a slow and mournful piano and violin piece. Not the most exciting piece, it was one of her favorite songs. Taking a deep breath, she stretched her leg back.

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_Ina boeur into a double axel- no, single. She popped it…_

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Annoyed, she huffed and swung her body into a layback. She immediately brought her hands into a clasp behind her back and arched it. Finally, as the last notes began to chime, she grabbed her blade and carefully pulled it over her head into a beillman.

**(A/N: Okay, the short program is over. If you read it and were confused about any of the terms (I don't think a lot of people even know what a flip is.), see the first chapter!)**

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"_**And there, my friends, is the brilliance of Autumn Harrow, the prodigy from England."**_

"_Although, Dick, I think that pop in the double-axel cost her the gold medal. Look here… she just didn't punch her knee through enough."_

"**Now here's her Triple Flip-Triple Loop combination. She gets fantastic height on the Flip, and it's almost as though she accelerates when she comes back up for the Loop. And in the Triple Lutz… difficult entry…she gets a beautiful outside edge and, again, great height."**

"_She went through a growth spurt last month, and she just hasn't lost any of her spring in the jumps or any of her flexibility. The catch-foot here is absolutely breathtaking. And here are her scores…"_

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Autumn waited in the Kiss&Cry with Jack as the announcer began calling out her scores.

"Technical elements… 34.01," droned the announcer, and Autumn raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Program components score…27.72. Total score is 61.73."

There was a thunderous cheer, and Autumn breathed a sigh of relief. She smiled and stood, waving to the crowd. She was in fourth behind Kim, Miko, and Claire Leblanc. She stood and waved to the crowd, carrying a large, light-blue winged teddy bear and a bouquet of white carnations.

"Congratulations!" squealed Hermione and Susan, tackling the smiling girl into a hug as she entered backstage.

"Thank you," said Autumn, touched as Theo handed her a large bouquet of sunflowers.

"You did so well!" said Susan in admiration.

"Thanks. Hey, come on. I want you to meet some people!" said Autumn, grabbing Blaise and Theo and dragged them over to a group of girls and men who stood around a large TV, watching as the final group of Ice Dancers began warming up.

"Hey Ashleigh. Congrats on the T-T at Nats, by the way," said Autumn with a smile.

"Thanks. Who are they?" said the tall girl with a friendly smile.

"This is Hermione, Susan, Theo, and Blaise. They're friends of mine from school," said Autumn, pointing to each in turn.

"Hey, what's up," said Ashleigh, nodding to them. She then turned to Autumn and said quietly, "you should have seen Devyn after she got her scores."

"She threw a right tantrum, didn't she?" said Autumn, sighing.

"And she chewed out John and Milly. I honestly don't know how Katrina puts up with her," said Ashleigh, turning to the screen.

"She's too nice. I hope her coaching change helps her. She wrote to me after four continents," said Autumn, wincing as Tauren Bentin tripped. "Have you seen Kim and Miko?"

"Yeah they went that way looking for you," said Ashleigh absently, pointing to her left and Autumn nodded waving good-bye.

"Come on. Hey James," said Autumn, waving to one of the passing men, who waved back, looking frantic.

"Wow, you know a lot of people," said Susan with wide eyes.

Autumn stared at her blankly before saying, "he's one of my teammates… there they are. Miko! KIM!

* * *

"Wow, that was good," said Kim, and Autumn nodded in agreement. Their hotel was treating them to dinner, and Autumn was happy to receive it.

"Your English has definitely gotten better," commented Autumn, and Kim said, "Brent and David made me speak in English around them. So I have improved.

"I still having trouble," said Miko with a smile. "But it is getting easier. Tarasova makes me speak it around her as well."

"Tarasova?" said Autumn mildly. "So you're definitely switching to her this summer?"

"Yes," said Miko with a nod.

"Where do you two train?" asked Hermione curiously.

"I train in Toronto," said Kim, popping a mushroom into her mouth.

"Chukyo Rink in Nagoya. Training in Japan used to be very hard, but now I get…much ice time," said Miko slowly.

"Figure skating in Japan is pretty popular," explained Autumn at Hermione's confused look. "Figure skaters like Miko are treated like super stars, and the press is constantly following her."

"I think I'll turn in for the night. I'd like to study my short program tonight," said Kim, standing and Miko stood as well with a yawn. "Good luck tomorrow!"

"You, too. Remember, we promised we'd all podium," said Autumn.

"Of course we will," said Miko, rolling her eyes with a smile. "******oyasuminasai!"**

**"'****Night," said Autumn with a smile. "We should probably head up, too."**

******She stood up and the rest followed, heading for the elevator. Autumn soon began lagging behind, and Blaise soon walked over to her.**

**"****You did really well today," he whispered in her ear, and she beamed. Between ESPN, EuroSports, and the many reporters, that was the best praise she could have asked for.**

* * *

Dick_Terry_**Peggy**Peter

_Dreams begin as a child who sees them come true for someone else… and today they will. _

_For a British angel hoping to gain her wings_

_Or for a Korean who competes with every breath._

_A Japanese hoping to continue a legacy_

_Or for a Swiss who conquered Europe, and now wants the world._

_The ladies inspire dreams in others while pursuing their own… in the free skate._

"_Good evening, I'm Terry Gannon alongside Peggy Flemming, Dick Button, and Peter Carruthers, and this is the final flight in the ladies free skate-"_

**"_Peter, what's happening down there?"_****__**** interrupted Peggy.**

"It seems as though Devyn Richards nearly collided with Autumn Harrow and Miko Tahara while they were speaking with their coaches_," said Peter in disbelief._

**__**

* * *

"What is your problem?!" yelled Autumn.

Devyn only smirked and skated over to her coach, who looked furious. "Don't worry about her," said Jack soothingly. "Just focus on the axel and your combinations, and you'll do fine."

"Right," breathed Autumn, walking through the gate and sliding on her skate guards.

"You've got a visitor, by the way," said Jack, steering her backstage.

"Who?" she asked absently, and smiled when she noticed the tall Italian boy.

"Thanks for coming," said Autumn, giving Blaise a hug. He patted her back and said, "I figured since you were the last to go, you'd want the company. You should see the ridicules banner Granger and Bones made."

"That's sweet," said Autumn, smiling. Jack walked away, claiming the need for a mocha frappacino, and Autumn stood with Blaise, waiting for the announcements to start. She ran her fingers through her ponytail and bounced on her heels.

"You look beautiful," murmured Blaise. Autumn blushed heavily and began fiddling with the light blue hem of her costume.

"Thanks," she said quietly.

"Are you nervous?" asked Blaise, and Autumn shot him a look that clearly asked 'are you stupid?'

"Very much so," she said, clasping and unclasping her hands. The two of them sat as one by one, the skaters entered the rink, and left it with smiles brightening their faces or their expressions downcast, obviously not pleased with their scores. Autumn watched with sympathy as Satomi Kozuka left the rink in tears after having to withdraw half way through her program. Kim quickly made first place with her program to 'Miss Saigon', which had earned her a hefty 125.25 points.

"That was amazing, Kim!" cheered Autumn, hugging the Korean girl. Brent Oren, her coach, stood by with a proud smile. An upbeat Spanish tune struck up as the two girls and Blaise waited backstage. The minutes slowly ticked by and Autumn felt her nerves tighten as the cheers from Ashleigh's performance echoed around the stadium. Miko stepped out onto the ice and Autumn sighed, knowing she was on deck as she watched the focused Japanese girl take center. The quick and fluid tune of Chopin's Fantasie-Impromtu began, and Miko was off.

Autumn held her breath as Miko moved in to do the triple axel. "Come on… oh no," groaned Autumn as Miko popped the axel. _This better not be last year all over again…_

Miko prepared for the next jump combination, and Autumn let out a sigh of relief. As the program went on, the crowd began to get louder, and as she slid into her ending pose, the crowd exploded. She came 

off the ice with tears of joy running down her face. Autumn glanced at Blaise for a moment before she walked over to the rink. She paused to give Miko a thumbs up before taking the ice.

"Technical Elements score… Program components score…" There was loud cheering as Miko quickly tried to calculate her score. "Score for Free skate is 130.02. Total score is 199.53."

The crowd exploded as Miko burst into tears again. She was in first place with one skater to go, and had broken a new world record.

Autumn quickly did a single axel, confident that she would be able to do the first triple axel that night. She slid into her starting position, breathing deeply as the cheering crowd died down. She smiled and, as the music began to play, she looked up and fell into character.

She fell back and twisted, skating around the bend to gain speed as she prepared for the triple axel.

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Music: "Becoming a Geisha" -Memoirs of a Geisha soundtrack

Here it comes… and she nails it!

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Autumn repressed the urge to smile, looking down as she skated. She quickly stretched her leg back into an ina boeuer and came up, jumping into a double axel. She then spun into a camel spin and twisted into a lay-over camel.

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Here comes her spiral sequence…

_You know, I don't even think Sasha Cohen was able to achieve this level of extension and strength._

**Well, the thing that I think sets her apart is, again, her hips. There's a lot of strength and extension there. Most skaters tilt their hips for balance and to relieve some of the pressure, but she doesn't. And I love how she incorporates this next double axel with a backwards spiral and just jumps straight into it.**

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Autumn waited a few beats until she launched into a triple loop and landed neatly. The music momentarily softened as she glided in an outside spread-eagle. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of it and reached back. _Triple flip- Triple loop…YES!_

Autumn jumped into a flying back sit and lowered herself into a cannon. She pulled her leg into a catch foot and quickly brought her hands together behind her leg, and held it in a thigh-pull(1), a move she had invented. She felt her performance building and, as she finally looked up at the crowd. She smiled at them, and threw herself into her foot work.

****

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**And here we go…**

_Now the fireworks begin. She has three more triples planned in this program, all in combination. And this footwork sequence commends her skill. She's getting deep into her edges and is incorporating her arms and gaining difficulty. I wouldn't be surprised if she gained a level four…_

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Autumn smiled as she finished her footwork and concentrated on the upcoming jumps. As she prepared for her triple lutz, she took a longer entrance than normal and realized she had a lot of speed going in. She launched herself into the air, nearly popping the jump at the speed, and realized too late that…

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I can't believe it, a quad! A quad lutz! And she lands it she reaches back and … she does it! A triple toe-loop!

_She's going down in history today…_

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Autumn felt numb as the crowd exploded into cheers. She couldn't believe it. "_Celebrate later, celebrate later," _she thought, reaching back for her second triple lutzand prepared for her final combination.

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_I'm holding my breath here…_

Triple lutz…double loop…double loop, and she does it!

**And look at this layback position… if there were ever a more perfect one. Look at how close her head and her feet are!**

_She's still paying attention to all the details…clasp behind the back… and look at that!_

**She calls it the pearl, and lifts her torso into a beillman… that's a gorgeous position.**

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Autumn felt a few moments relief as she held the beillman before she let go of her leg and ended, breathing laboriously. The crowd exploded again, and Autumn realized absently that they were all on their feet. She dropped to her knees and stared at the ceiling, shaking her head. As her performance sunk in, she gasped and stood, shaking her head. She covered her face, trying not to cry as she raised her hands to the crowd and bowed. With her hands behind her head, she retreated back to Jack and Blaise.

Laughing, she launched herself in to Blaise's waiting arms. "Oh my god, I can't believe I did that! Oh my god…" she rambled. Smirking, Blaise handed her skate-guards and jacket. Putting his arm around the exhausted girl, he led her into the Kiss&Cry. Still breathing heavily, she sat in between Jack and Blaise as she waited for her scores. Jack continued to babble, but Autumn only focused on the anxiety of waiting for her scores and the hand that was tightly clasped in her own.

Technical Elements… Program Components… Score for free skate is 137.31."

Autumn shrieked as the score was announced, burying her head into Blaise's shoulder. The crowd exploded into cheers again as her scores were combined. "Total score is 199.04," said the announcer as Autumn stood, waving joyfully to the crowd. She had missed the gold medal, but at the moment she didn't care. The silver was all hers, and she nearly fainted as Blaise kissed her cheek and murmured in her ear, "congratulations."

******XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_And there stands the silver medalist._

She's broken three records in a matter of five minutes: the quad lutz, the quad-triple for a woman, and a score of 137.31, the highest ever recorded.

******The sixteen year olds on the podium. I think you'll agree with me that they are the future of figure skating.**

_Well, I don't think this year will ever be topped…_

* * *

Autumn, Hermione, Susan, Theo, and Blaise returned to Hogwarts later that week…

… only to find a toad-like woman waiting for them.

"Headmaster's office. Now," she said through gritted teeth, trembling in fury. Autumn, amused, said quietly to Hermione, "I guess Dumbledore forgot to mention we were leaving."

"Duh," muttered Theo, following the enraged Professor to the Headmaster's office.

"Skittles," huffed Umbridge, walking up the staircase.

"Come in!" called a wizened voice. As they entered, he smiled and said brightly, "ah, Miss Harrow, you have returned. How were the championships?"

"Silver medal and three broken records," smiled Autumn, holding her medal up.

"Excellent. Thirty points to Slytherin. Did the rest of you enjoy Sweden? I've only been there twice, and I must say, they have some of the best chocolate."

"It was a lot of fun. The performances were amazing!" exclaimed Susan.

"Headmaster, you gave five students permission to leave the school grounds- and country- for a week and did not inform me?!" sputtered Umbridge, her face turning blotchy red.

"Yes, and I believe the rest of the school is now enjoying Miss Harrow's performance in the Great Hall as we speak," said Dumbledore pleasantly.

"What?!" cried Umbridge and Autumn (who blushed in embarrassment.).

"Yes, I believe Professor Flitwick found a nifty charm. Apparently, Mr. Finch-Fletchley saw your performance and gave us the memory of it so that we may enjoy it as well."

"Oh geeze," moaned Autumn, burying her head into Blaise's back. "Now everyone will know."

"Most of them already knew, my dear," said Dumbledore kindly. "Mr. Zabini and Mr. Nott were kind enough to help me ensure your privacy while you trained; something I know you value."

"Thanks guys," she murmured, pulling both boys into a hug.

"Now," said Dumbledore, clapping his hands. "If you five wish to leave your trunks here and go to the Great Hall, I will have them returned to your dorms by the time you turn in."

"Thank you," they said, exiting the office, a gob-smacked Umbridge staring after them. As they entered the Great Hall, Autumn jumped at the thunderous applause. Smiling weakly, she gave the student body a small wave as she followed Blaise and Theo to the Slytherin table.

-

**_With Hermione…_**

"Hermione, where were you?" said Ron loudly. "And what were you doing with those Slytherins?"

"I was in Sweden with my friends, Ronald," said Hermione, sitting down. "We attended the World Figure Skating Championships."

Harrow's your trustee, isn't she?" asked Harry.

"Yes, she is," said Hermione, smiling at her. "And she's my friend, too…"

-

-

**_With Susan…_**

"You knew Autumn Harrow and didn't tell me!" wailed Justin, staring at Susan with accusing eyes.

"Justin, you've known her for four years!" said Susan exasperatingly.

As Justin continued to moan, Susan shared a smile with Hermione and Autumn, and happily dug into a treacle tart.

-

-

**_With Autumn, Theo, and Blaise…_**

"So what're you going to do now?" asked Theo as they sat down. Autumn shrugged and said, "train and be in a few shows, I guess. I probably won't have to start a new program 'til the summer."

"And I thought you couldn't sink any lower, Harrow," drawled a snide voice from behind her. Rolling her eyes, she turned to see Malfoy standing behind her. Autumn smiled coyly and stood, walking up to Malfoy until their noses were nearly touching.

"You know what I think, Malfoy?" drawled Autumn, satisfied as his face turned red and he gulped audibly. "I think you need a life. And a brain to share between you and your cronies."

She flicked his forehead and sat next to a wary looking Blaise, waving to the furious Malfoy.

"Cute," said Theo dryly as Malfoy stomped away. "I don't think even he could ruin my day," said Autumn happily, a smile passing between the five of them.


	5. ATTENTION!

Dear Readers,

Due to my irritating scatterbrainess and inability to stick to one story, I have decided to make some changes:

One, _Spell of Light, Ties That Bind Us_, and _Threads of Love_ will be put on definite hiatus. The stories **WILL** be finished by September 2010. I am using January to plan these stories out more carefully and check my characters around every corner, and will continue writing. The chapters will be reposted at the end of each month until I finish.

Two, _Flip and Lip_ will be deleted and replaced by _Lutz and Flutz: Fire and Ice_. With the upcoming Olympics, I decided to drop this story and replace the expected themes in the new addition instead.

Three, the only stories to expect updates from will be from _Lutz and Flutz: Fire and Ice_, _The Hero of Time_ (a fairy-tale I've been working on for a year and jump-started my writing), and a story I have adopted from SmileAsYouCan, _What We Deserve and More_.

Thank you to all of my readers, and I'm sorry about any inconvenience!

-Lumiere Hikari


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